Camperdown - Darlington

Camperdown - Darlington has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

According to the analysis by AreaSearch, the population of Camperdown - Darlington stands at approximately 9,776 as of May 2026. This represents a growth of 1,444 residents (17.3%) compared to the 8,332 individuals recorded in the 2021 Census. This shift is calculated using the estimated resident population of 9,776 published by the ABS for June 2025 alongside 5 validated new addresses identified after the Census. This population level translates to a density of 5,717 persons per square kilometer, placing the locality in the highest 10% of all areas evaluated nationwide by AreaSearch and highlighting the extreme demand for local land. The growth rate of 17.3% since the 2021 census outpaced the state figure of 7.1% as well as Greater Sydney, positioning the suburb as a regional growth leader. The primary driver of this population expansion was overseas migration, which accounted for roughly 94.8% of the total population increase in recent times.

AreaSearch incorporates projections from the ABS and Geoscience Australia for individual SA2 zones, using the 2024 release which relies on 2022 as its baseline. For any SA2 regions lacking this coverage, projections from the NSW State Government at the SA2 level are utilized, which were published in 2022 using 2021 as the starting year. Estimated growth dynamics across different age cohorts from these sources are extended to all regions for the period spanning 2032 to 2041. Looking at future demographic shifts, a major population expansion is predicted that falls within the top quartile of all statistical areas assessed by AreaSearch, with the locality projected to add 3,633 persons by 2041 relative to the latest annual ERP statistics, indicating a total growth of 37.2% over the 16 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Camperdown - Darlington according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Development approvals in Camperdown - Darlington average approximately 5 dwellings annually, with a total of 28 homes approved over the last 5 financial years. Thus far in FY-26, 1 approvals have been logged. With an average of 8 new residents per year per finished dwelling arriving over the last 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), the volume of supply is falling far behind demand, typically resulting in intensified competition among buyers and upward price pressure, while new properties average a construction cost of $658,000, illustrating that developers are prioritizing the higher-end market with premium builds. Furthermore, $1.1 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded during this financial year, highlighting the predominantly residential character of the precinct.

Compared to the broader Greater Sydney region, Camperdown - Darlington displays a much lower level of building activity, sitting 89.0% below regional average per person. This restricted building pipeline generally supports the demand and valuation of existing housing stock. Construction volume is also below the national average, reflecting the established status of the suburb and implying possible planning constraints. Recent residential development is split between 40.0% standalone homes and 60.0% townhouses or apartments. This pivot toward higher-density options offers more affordable entry points and attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time buyers. Notably, developers are constructing a higher proportion of detached houses than the existing dwelling distribution would suggest (4.0% at Census), pointing to sustained demand for family residences despite density trends. With a ratio of roughly 2212 people per dwelling approval, Camperdown - Darlington shows the characteristics of a highly established market.

Long-term forecasts indicate that Camperdown - Darlington will add 3,633 residents by 2041, based on the most recent quarterly estimates from AreaSearch. If the current pace of construction persists, the supply of housing may struggle to keep up with this population increase, which could intensify competition among buyers and support rising property values.

Camperdown - Darlington has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Developments in public infrastructure, major construction projects, and zoning plans have a significant impact on local performance. AreaSearch has tracked 32 projects in the pipeline that are expected to influence the locality. Key initiatives include the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Redevelopment, the University of Sydney Campus Transformation, the Landcom Camperdown Mixed-Use Development, and the University of Sydney Biomedical Accelerator (SBA), with details provided on the most significant works below.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Camperdown - Darlington performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

The local workforce in Camperdown - Darlington is highly qualified, with a notable concentration of professionals in the technology sector, an unemployment rate of only 2.1%, and an estimated job growth rate of 1.4% over the preceding year. As of March 2026, employed residents number 6,618, while the unemployment rate is 2.0% lower than the 4.1% recorded across Greater Sydney, and the labor force participation rate is solid at 72.9% compared to the regional figure of 69.1%. Census details indicate a high proportion of residents working from home at 59.8%, though this was likely influenced by COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

The primary employment sectors for local residents are professional & technical, education & training, and health care & social assistance. The suburb displays a strong specialization in education & training, with its employment share reaching 1.7 times the regional average. Conversely, the construction sector accounts for only 4.0% of the local workforce, which is below the 8.6% share seen across Greater Sydney. Representing 2.1 workers for each resident at the time of the Census, the area acts as a major employment center, providing more jobs than it has working residents and drawing in commuters from elsewhere.

According to the AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS statistics, during the year ending March 2026, the volume of employed persons grew by 1.4% and the labor force expanded by 0.8%, leading to a decrease in the unemployment rate of 0.6 percentage points. Meanwhile, Greater Sydney recorded employment expansion of 1.9% and labor force growth of 1.9%, accompanied by a very minor decline in unemployment. The national employment forecasts released by Jobs and Skills Australia in May-25 offer additional perspective on prospective demand trends in Camperdown - Darlington. These forecasts, which span five and ten-year intervals, have been applied to the local workforce distribution to project future growth. While total employment across the nation is expected to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, the rates of expansion vary considerably across different industries. Applying these sector-specific forecasts to the employment structure of Camperdown - Darlington suggests that local jobs could grow by 7.3% over five years and 14.7% over ten years, though this is a basic weighted calculation for demonstration purposes and does not account for local population changes.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

The most recent postcode-level ATO statistics compiled by AreaSearch for financial year 2023 show that incomes within the Camperdown - Darlington SA2 are among the highest nationwide, with a median of $68,240 and an average of $87,944. These figures compare to a median of $60,817 and an average of $83,003 in Greater Sydney. Factoring in Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, current projections suggest figures of roughly $75,282 for the median and $97,020 for the average as of March 2026. Census data from 2021 indicates that household, family, and individual incomes are all positioned high nationally, falling between the 80th and 89th percentiles. Looking at the distribution of earnings, 32.4% of residents (3,167 individuals) receive weekly incomes of $1,500 - 2,999, mirroring the broader regional pattern where 30.9% are in this bracket. The high concentration of top-tier earners, with 41.4% receiving more than $3,000/week, points to robust financial capacity in the community. Housing costs are substantial, taking up 21.2% of incomes, yet strong earnings keep disposable income levels at the 81st percentile and the SEIFA index for income ranks the area in the 8th decile.

Camperdown - Darlington features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

At the time of the latest Census, the composition of residential properties in Camperdown - Darlington consisted of 4.4% standalone houses and 95.6% alternative housing types, such as townhouses, semi-detached properties, and apartments, compared to the metropolitan Sydney split of 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. The level of home ownership in Camperdown - Darlington was lower than the metropolitan average at 17.6%, with the remaining properties being purchased with a mortgage (24.3%) or occupied by tenants (58.1%). The median monthly mortgage payment in the suburb was recorded at $3,000, which is considerably higher than the Sydney average of $2,427, while the median weekly rent stood at $600 compared to the regional figure of $470. On a national level, mortgage costs in Camperdown - Darlington are far higher than the Australian median of $1,863, and weekly rents are likewise well above the national median of $375.

Camperdown - Darlington features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Families make up the majority of households at 50.4%, consisting of 15.0% couples with children, 29.1% couples without children, and 5.2% single parent families. The remaining 49.6% are non-family households, with single-person households representing 33.0% and group houses accounting for 16.5% of the total. The median size of households is 2.1 persons, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Camperdown - Darlington shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

Levels of educational attainment in Camperdown - Darlington are significantly higher than broader geographical averages, with 56.8% of residents aged 15+ holding tertiary degrees, compared to 30.4% nationally and 32.2% across NSW. This high level of qualification positions the suburb well to capitalize on knowledge-based economic opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 35.9%, followed by postgraduate degrees (17.6%) and graduate diplomas (3.3%). Vocational and technical qualifications make up 13.8% of credentials among residents aged 15+, consisting of advanced diplomas (6.8%) and certificate courses (7.0%).

Enrolment in education is exceptionally high, with 43.4% of the population presently undertaking formal study. This includes 32.9% of residents attending tertiary institutions, 3.6% enrolled in primary schools, and 2.8% attending secondary schools.

Transport servicing is high compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Public transport data shows 38 active stops operating in Camperdown - Darlington, consisting of bus services. These stops accommodate 36 separate routes, providing a total of 10,114 weekly passenger journeys. Accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents living an average of 161 meters from the nearest stop. The neighborhood is mostly residential, meaning most working residents travel out of the area for employment, with cars being the main transit method at 41%, followed by walking at 24% and trains at 16%. Car ownership stands at an average of 0.5 vehicles per household, which is below the regional average. A high proportion of residents, 59.8%, worked from home at the time of the 2021 Census, which was likely affected by pandemic conditions.

Service frequency averages 1,444 passenger trips per day across the network, which translates to approximately 266 weekly departures from each individual transit stop.

Camperdown - Darlington's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

An examination of health indicators reveals strong outcomes throughout Camperdown - Darlington, based on AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality data and the frequency of chronic conditions, which shows low rates of typical medical conditions across all age groups. Additionally, the rate of private health insurance coverage is high, with approximately 63% of the population (6,188 individuals) holding cover, compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

The medical conditions most frequently reported in the locality are mental health difficulties and asthma, affecting 11.3 and 8.8% of the population, respectively, while 74.2% of residents reported having no chronic medical conditions, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. The working-age population is healthy, showing low rates of chronic health issues. Seniors aged 65 and over constitute 5.7% of local residents (559 people), a share that is lower than the Greater Sydney figure of 15.5%. Health profiles for these older residents are very positive, with national standings generally matching those of the broader community.

Camperdown - Darlington was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Camperdown - Darlington exhibits a higher degree of cultural diversity than most property markets, with 22.2% of the local population speaking a language other than English at home and 35.4% born overseas. The most common religious affiliation in Camperdown - Darlington is Christianity, representing 26.5% of the local population. However, the most pronounced divergence from broader patterns is in Judaism, which accounts for 0.9% of residents compared to 0.8% across Greater Sydney.

Regarding family backgrounds and parental birthplaces, the three largest ancestry groups in Camperdown - Darlington are English at 22.8%, Australian at 19.3%, and Other at 10.9%, which sits below the Greater Sydney average of 16.0%. There are also notable differences in the proportions of other backgrounds, with French ancestry overrepresented at 0.8% of the population (compared to 0.5% regionally), Irish at 10.3% (compared to 6.1% regionally), and Chinese at 8.2% (compared to 8.4% regionally).

Camperdown - Darlington hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Camperdown - Darlington is 26 years, which is younger than the Greater Sydney average of 37 and the national median of 38. The 15 - 24 age bracket is highly represented locally, making up 35.8% of residents compared to the Greater Sydney average, while children aged 5 - 14 are underrepresented at 2.4%. This concentration of residents aged 15 - 24 is higher than the national figure of 12.7%. Since the 2021 Census, the median age has fallen by 2.5 years from 29 to 26, showing a shift toward a younger cohort. The proportion of residents aged 15 to 24 grew from 28.4% to 35.8%, whereas the 45 to 54 bracket fell from 10.6% to 8.2% and the 5 to 14 cohort declined from 4.6% to 2.4%. Projections for the year 2041 point to shifts in local age profiles, with the 15 to 24 cohort expected to increase by 904 people (26%) from 3,503 to 4,408.